Bridge span inspection and maintenance traveler



Jan. 12, 1937. w RINGE 2,067,344

BRIDGE SPAN INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE TRAVELER Filed June 15, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. VV/LL/AM H. R/NsE.

ATTORNEYS.

Jan. 12,1937.

BRIDGE SPAN INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE TRAVELER w. H. RINGE 2,067,344

Filed June 13, 1936 2 SheetsSheet 2 1 JA L5 4 (ll/J K NN NI N NJ N NIWl/H/I/MR/IWII/QW 1L J1. JL L Jl\ AJ. I L 25 26 20 4 INVENTOR. W/LL/AM H RING:

BY W ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 12, 1937 UNITED STATES BRIDGE SPAN INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE TRAVELER v William 11. BingerBerkeley, Calif. Application June 13, 1936, Serial No. 85,109 mm. (cl. 304-9 This invention relates to the inspection and maintenance of large bridge spans, particularly large suspension bridge spans such as the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge now under process of construction, and the principal object of the invention is to provide permanently installed traveling platform apparatus which will afford inspectors, workmen and painters constant accessibility to practically all parts of the bridge structure between supporting towers. 'Special features and advantages of the construction will appear in the following description and accompanying drawings.

In the drawings Fig. 1 and Fig. la form together a side elevation of my traveler applied to a diagrammatic cross section of the Golden Gate Bridge span. The figures are arranged to slightly overlap at the center as indicated by the numbered parts. I

Fig. 2, is a vertical cross section of the traveler at the line 22 of Fig. 1, showing its intermediate tower.

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section of the traveler at the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, showing the central carriage suspension.

Fig. 4, is an end view of the traveler as seen from the line 4-4 of Fig. 10. showing one of the end towers and the end carriages.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail of the roller carriages.

Fig. 6 is an end view of the carriages of Fig. 5.

Briefly described the invention comprises an elongated traveling platform or frame of skeleton steel construction flexibly suspended on tracks just below the steel work of the bridge to extend transversely thereof and the frame provided with two flxed end towers extending upward adjacent the outer sides of the bridge side trusses and an intermediate tower reaching up almost to the under side of the bridge and roliable along the frame from side to side of the bridge within its side trusses. The intermediate tower is provided with a telescopic or extensible upper portion with platform which may be raised between the main transverse truss floor beams (which in the Golden Gate Bridge are some 9 feet deep) to per mit inspection or painting of every part, as well as the under side of the roadway or deck, and its supportingbeams. Theintermediatetowerishand or motor propelled along the frame, and the whole apparatus is hand or motor propelled along the bridge to travel the entire distance between main bridge supporting towers, it being contemplated that there be a complete apparatus for each span.

In the drawings the Golden Gate Bridge has been used to show the application of the invention, and the cross section of which bridge on account of its great mass of trusses, girders, beams. braces, etc., is herein diagrammatically represented, the side trusses spaced some 88 feet out- 5 side to outside, beingdesignated l, the main cross beams or girders 2, angular braces 3 and deck structure including its floor beams and pavement 4.

Beneath the bridge structure and extending entirely across and projecting beyond both sides thereof, I provide an elongated structural steel frame comprising two spaced truss beams 5 connected together at opposite ends by suitable framework 6, and carrying a lattice-work tower 1 at each end extending upward adjacent the outer sides of the bridge, and connected in one or more places intermediate the length of the truss beams as by a lower transverse framework 8 and extending upward from which are two tapered hanger frames 9, suspended from rolling carriages ill at their upper ends provided with rollers ll (preferably ball-bearing) roliable along the lower flanges of tracks l2 suspended from the bottom of the main bridge beams 2 and hung on rods or hangers l3 from the under side of the deck of deck beams, at intervals between the main beams.

The two ends of the traveler are similarly supported from rolling carriages l4, having rollers IS on the lower flanges of I beam tracks l6 secured preferably to the underside of. the main bridge trusses l.

Both carriages l0 and M are articulated as generally shown in Figs. 5 and 6, to compensate for misalignment of tracks, or changes due to expansion, contraction, settling, stresses of wind, loads, etc., so that no binding can possibly occur, and the rollers, engage the lower flange of the track at both sides of its web so that the carriages cannot come off. This articulate construction of the carriages is subject to wide variation but is here indicated as by forming the carriages of several members Ill l0, 10'', etc., vertically and horizontally pivoted together as at l1 and I8 45 respectively, and the track hangers are similarly made self adjusting as by ball and socket type joints l9.

'I'o propel the traveler longitudinally of the bridge, one or more rollers of the end carriages 50 may be driven in either direction by a suitable electric motor 20, preferably backgeared and either suitably mounted on the carriage members or on a bracket 2| extended from the frame 5, and the motor suitably geared or chain con- 55 nected as at 22, to a gear or sprocket; on a shaft to which one of the rollers or a specially large driving roller is secured. The motors at opposite ends of the traveler should, of course, be wired together and synchronously operated so that both ends of the traveler will definitely travel at the same speed. It is also desirable that both motors incorporate the known type of electric brakes which are released only while the motor circuits are closed, so that wherever the traveler stops it will be automatically locked. The wiring is not indicated, nor the controls which may be placed at any convenient point on the traveler.

The intermediate tower is shown at 23, and is supported on rollers 24 rolling on tracks 25, suspended on hangers 28 along the lower edges of truss beams 5 and is also propelled in either direction by a suitable motor drive 21, though it is evident that this tower, as well as the traveler itself, may be manually operated instead of motor operated in smaller installations or where saving of cost is important. v

The three towers are fitted with stairs or ladders 28, and the ladder of the intermediate tower 23 is also extensible as at 28', to rise with the upper extensible platform 29 of this tower which is provided with downwardly extending guides 34, and may be raised by means of a motor or hand winch 30 on the platform so as to extend upward to the dotted position 29' at any point between main transverse bridge beams 2. A

All three towers have several platforms as at St, for men and materials and suitable guard rails may be provided at any or all platforms as indicated at 32. Also a ladder 33 may be provided at the top of the end towers so that the workmen or inspectors can gain access to the bridge deck when the days work is done. This ladder is suitably pivoted to the tower structure so that it cannot accidentally fall into the water.

As the top surfaces of the traveler trusses 5 are very wide, they are used as walkways by inspectors and workmen to reach opposite ends or the intermediate tower, and suitable hand-rails as partially indicated at 35 are provided.

From the foregoing description it will be evident to any mechanical engineer that many variations in details of construction may be made. For smaller bridges solid instead of lattice beams may be used for the frame, rigid type roller carriages may be used, the long frame 5 may have a continuous floor where weight and effect of winds need not be considered, and there may be two intermediate towers, also the end towers may have telescopic or extensible upper portions as shown for the intermediate tower, also accessories such as dumb-waiters may be installed on any or all of the towers to aid in raising and lowering materials such as paint, brushes, tools, etc. Also, on extremely wide bridges, the intermediate suspension rollers may be driven as well as the end carriages.

This invention dispenses entirely with scaffolds and slings in bridge painting and maintenanse work and makes every square foot easily accessible for inspection, cleaning, painting, or repairing, and permits such work, heretofore only carried out under great danger, difliculty and expense, to be accomplished with thoroughness in a fraction of the time and almost free from danger to the men.

While my inspection and maintenance traveler is particularly applicable to great suspension bridges where its first cost it not prohibitive, it is manifest that it may be made much simpler for smaller bridges, and for large truss bridges the intermediate tower or towers may be omitted, and the end towers may be as high as desired, or for inverted truss bridges, the traveler suspension carriages may be at the top of the towers from tracks along the upper edge of the bridge as the particular position of the suspension tracks and carriages will depend largely on the nature of the steel bridge construction on which the traveler is installed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. Bridge span inspection and maintenance apparatus comprising a traveler frame extending transversely under and adjacent to the bridge span from side to side thereof arranged and adapted to support workmen in accessible relation to and for working and painting on the span, tracks secured to and extending along the bridge span, rollers carried by the traveler frame rollabiy suspending the latter from the tracks on the bridge span to roll longitudinally thereof below the same, and means for propelling said traveler along said tracks.

2. Bridge span inspection and maintenance apparatus comprisng a traveler frame extending transversely under and adjacent to the bridge span from side to side thereof arranged and adapted to support workmen in accessible reiation to and for working and painting on the span, tracks secured to and extending along the bridge span, rollers carried by the traveler frame rollabiy suspending the latter from the tracks on the bridge span to roll longitudinally thereof below the same, intermediate track and roller sup ports for said traveler under the bridge spanbetween its side trusses, and means for propelling said traveler along said tracks.

3. Bridge span inspection and maintenance apparatus comprisng a traveler frame extending transversely under and adjacent to the bridge span from side to side thereof arranged and adapted to support workmen in accessible relation to and for working and painting on the span, tracks secured to and extending along the bridge span, rollers carried by the traveler frame rollabiy suspending the latter from the tracks on the bridge span to roll longitudinally thereof below the same, intermediate track and roller supports for said traveler under the bridge span between its side trusses, an upwardly extending frame on said traveler to which the intermediate rollers are secured, and means for propelling said traveler along said tracks.

4. Bridge span inspection and maintenance apparatus comprising a traveler frame extending transversely under and adjacent to the bridge span, and beyond the outer sides of the bridge span, tracks secured to and extending along the bridge span, rollers carried by the traveler frame rollabiy suspending the latter from the tracks to roll longitudinally thereof, work towers on the projecting ends of said traveler extending upward adjacent the outer sides of the bridge span, and means for propelling said traveler along said tracks.

5. Bridge span inspection and maintenance apparatus comprising a traveler frame extending transversely under and adjacent to the bridge span and beyond the outer sides of the bridge span, tracks secured to and extending along the bridge span, rollers carried by the traveler frame rollabiy suspending the latter from the tracks to roll longitudinally thereof, work towers on the projecting ends of said traveler extending upward adjacent the outer ends of the bridge span and provided with working platforms, and means for propelling said traveler along said tracks.

6. Bridge span inspection and maintenance apparatus comprising a traveler frame extending transversely under and adjacent to the bridge span and projecting beyond the outer sides thereof, tracks carried by the bridge span, rollers carried by the traveler engaging said tracks to permit the traveler to roll longitudinally of the span, work towers at the ends of the traveler extending up adjacent the outer sides of the span, and an intermediate work tower on said traveler under the bridge.

7. Bridge span inspection and maintenance apparatus comprising a traveler frame extending transversely under and adjacent to the bridge span and projecting beyond the outer sides thereof, tracks carried by the bridge span, rollers carried by the traveler engaging said tracks to permit the traveler to roll longitudinally of the span, work towers at the ends of the traveler extending up adjacent the outer sides of the span, an intermediate work tower on said traveler under the bridge and roller supports for said intermediate work tower adapting it to roll transversely of the bridge. 7

8. Bridge span'inspection and maintenance apparatus comprising a traveler frame extending transversely under and adjacent to the bridge span, and projecting beyond the outer sides thereof, tracks carried by the bridge span, rollers carried by the traveler engaging said tracks to permit the traveler to roll longitudinally of the span, work towers at the ends of the traveler extending up adjacent the outer sides of the span, an intermediate work tower on said traveler under the bridge and means for changing the effective height of the intermediate work tower.

9. In the construction specified in claim 6, a plurality of working platforms on said towers together with means for workmen gaining access thereto.

WILLIAM H. RINGE. 

